The Getaway...Crom's build and adventures

Thanks. I enjoyed it, especially when I set up my mask properly and could actually see what I was doing.

Hi Curt, Yes. Construction is good, light weight (15lb), very compact, MIG that runs on 120VAC. It is the Easy-Flux 125 Amp Welder at HF. With a coupon it was ~$190.

I am really happy with it. The setup was easy and straight forward. I spent about 45 minutes setting up my mask, cutting some scrap, and burning it back together. Like painting, surface prep is a critical step in welding and the guide that came with it was pretty thorough about laying out what to do and what not to do. I can recommend it.

test welds on scrap​

 

Long time between updates. Truck has 86,243 miles. Still getting out about six times a year to deserts, mountains.

Getting ready for our usual longer summer trips again.

Todays updates:

• Replacing windshield with new next week due to a crack that has grown 1/2 through from bottom to top. It has been growing for years (lol)
• Oil catch can drained
• Will do oil change in another 1,000 miles
• Rock sliders cleaned and painted
• Drivers side tie rod boot reattached, this time with a stainless steel hose clamp, mfer is not coming off again
• did the silence seat belt mod again
• May replace the 80A relay for the air compressor in the engine room as one of the terminals got too hot and is slightly damaged
• May replace serpentine belt with new
• Thinking about the 90K maintenance interval
• Almost time to order new tires

Will try to post pics of some of recent trips in coming days

 

What is the silence seat belt mod?

 

Turns off the nanny alarm if the seat-belt isn't buckled. Obviously a personal choice.

 

Thank you.

 

Safelite Autoglass swapped in some new front glass on the truck and it looks good. i Scrutinized the glass and can find no obvious defects or shortcomings. I am happy.

It has been a great many years since having to do one of these, here is the accounting break down.

Code:

Part                   259.85
Coupon / Discount      -45.00
Flat Labor             110.14
Sub Total              324.99
Sales Tax               17.73
Total                  342.72
CC Reward              -34.27
Insurance Reimburse    -92.72
Out of pocket         $215.73

New Glass is

Code:

FUYAO
AS1 M147
DOT - 1038
SOLAR TINT
FW 2500
3 *  **
MADE IN USA

 

We completed another couple family adventures for the summer of 2023.

Pictured below are two pictures from our trip up the 395. We swam in many lakes, rivers, and hot springs. They were all amazing. Hiked and explored geological wonders. My favorite lakes are Mono and Tenaya. Favorite rivers were Tuolumne and Merced. On this trip we spent a day in Yosemite National Park, with a hike to the Tuolumne Grove of giant Sequoias. We dipped into the Valley for several hours to play in the Merced River. All water sources were on blast due the the heavy winter snowpack, 347% of normal in some spots in the Sierra. LoLz.

My kids are bigger now, 12 and 10, they are great. The wife turned into a smokeshow. The truck still works awesome. Everything is good.

Merced River from Cathedral Beach, with El Capitan in the background​

 

Happy Birthday Nick, hope you’re well, enjoy your day.

 

This weekend I get to be Mr. Mechanic and swap in some new upper ball joint dust covers. I have about 20,200 miles on them. The Camburg UCA's I am running use a Moog joint which is fine, but the ball joint dust covers are trash. They have holes and I have just resorted to greasing them a few times a year as a work around. My boxed spindles will possibly make separating the ball joint stud fun

Posts below are relevant.

I booked myself some vacation OCT/NOV/DEC for get out time for DV

 

In about 1 hour, I swapped in the new boot, greased the UCA's, Tie Rod, UBJ, and LBJ, for the drivers side. I still have to do the passenger side.

It turns out the boxed spindle has an undocumented feature. The upper hole is perfect for placing two stacked pry bars for leverage when separating the UBJ from the boxed spindle. No special BJ tools required.







This boot will work, and is extremely durable it came with a Delrin bushing which I used. It should last forever.

I will probably grease the LCA bushings and the whole front end will be ready for more miles.

 

I also found this little baby gecko when I was working. It was about the size of a US quarter dollar. It was under a piece of scrap wood. They are not very common for our area, as far as I know. It was safely returned to the wild. lol

 

Just found your thread, what a nice build! I really like the tall cap and how the roof rack lines up with it.

 

On one of my offroad family adventures this year, I crossed paths with the Sultan from The United Territories of The Sovereign Nation of The People's Republic of Slowjamastan. I was incognito so he didn't recognize me.

Hat tip to the Sultan, and his loyal citizens.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Slowjamastan

https://youtu.be/EQxTh2IfK1Q

 

I took a walk at Seaport Village, San Diego in late November. It was really nice to do a tourist thing, in my own city.



I did some truck maintenance the last two days 87,817 Miles

1. Engine Oil & Filter change after 890 days, (2 years, 5 months, 7 days) | 5,402 miles.
2. Oil catch can emptied, not much in there
3. Pressure washed wheels and washed exterior
4. complete undercarriage inspection, brakes, exhaust, drive shafts, seals, armor
5. Cleaned forest trees out of frame rails, and desert grit from wheel wheel liners and bumper. I don't remember how the f*** did a pine tree branch get in there?
6. Minor repair to cowl molding near VIN marker, checked all electrical wiring and auxiliary systems
7. Replaced front pass mudflap with aftermarket, kid did the work, and it was funny, will share pics in another post
8. New tars going on tomorrow at tire shop

Looking forward to new tars

 

Passenger Mudflap Replacement 2023-12-17
1,117 days, 3 years, 22 days

The mudflaps are a sacrificial barrier and are essential to protect my doors from being rock blasted. Unfortunately I reversed over a boulder in this canyon back in November 2020 and the mudflap was destroyed. The driver mudflap is in poor shape but still in one piece.





My 13 year old installed the replacement today. She did a great job, I didn't even need to check her work beyond a visual inspection




LMFAO her using packing material instead of automotive creeper. Being perhaps a typical teenager her schedule is beginning to resemble a vampire. She laid there on her phone until I gave her the paper instructions to complete the work.



All ready for the tire shop tomorrow.

 

I spotted a 2nd gen mudflap on the trail a few years ago in Oregon and brought it home as a souvenir (and to clean up the trail). It’s amazing how the attachments snap off so easily while the rest of it was only mildly scraped. My 3rd gen flaps are still hanging on.

 

Good to clean up debris. Rip and replace as needed. The aftermarket one I used was

Red Hound Auto Custom Fit Front Mudguard for 2005-2015 Compatible with Toyota Tacoma Models

Red Hound Auto Custom Fit Front Mudguard for 2005-2015 Compatible with Toyota Tacoma Models I just took it out on trails and beat on it, and it held up okay. It is shorter than stock, and much stiffer, so I think it will be less forgiving and just snap off. Who knows?

 

Do you own a pressure washer?

I waited far too long in life to buy a pressure washer. If I could go back in time, I would write a note to myself to buy one. Be that as it were, I bought a Sun Joe Xtream Clean Electric Pressure Washer, 13-Amp last December (2022) for $152.53 from Wally world delivered to my door. The price a year later has now inflated to $200.80. So far I am really happy with this basic unit. Has a lot of power, doesn't need to rest, and is compact enough. I may put a longer hose on it when the exiting one wears out.

I have used it to clean house siding, clean awnings (top and bottom), clean rain gutters, clean concrete, cut a trench to lay pipe under sidewalk, cut earth to create drainage, strip paint, clean outside patio furniture, clean cars / mud and debris from truck.



While the color scheme sort of makes this tool look like a toy, it is anything but. With a strong 13 amp motor it claims 1,700 PSI rated pressure under typical load. I use the 15° yellow nozzle almost always for cleaning and the red 0° for cutting.

The pressure washer is an amazing tool and it is fun to use, maybe like Odin and his staff when he has to f*** up some Frost Giants?

 

New Toyo Open Country LT255/858/16 Tires @ 87,820 miles

I am very happy to have new truck tires. I had the tire shop dismount and install the new tires. They had four techs working simultaneously to get it done fast. They got the job done, but marred one of my wheels pretty badly with the machine that holds the wheel. It was a new tech, and he clearly needed more training. That is the unfortunate side effect of having shops do work, it seems like its always a mixed bag of what level of service is received.

The tires are great though and I repeated my prior set up with new Denso TPM sensors, and Dyna Beads for balancing. The truck is glass smooth all the way up to 95 Mph.

I had an alignment done at alignment shop, and the tires saw dirt within 24 of mounting in Panamint Valley, USA







A full accounting of Tires and parts above.
I received a 0% Promo APR for the tires. I have the cash in money market earning 5% APY. I will make minimum payments to the bank, and then pay them back with inflated dollars at the end.

 

I went offroad to Death Valley after the atmospheric river storm of Feb 6 2024. I crossed some mud rivers in the desert and encased my truck frame / suspension in mud. Almost two hours with the pressure washer and there is still more to do. I really hate mud. lol I am preparing for the 90K maintenance on the truck.



The trip was amazing. Many ephemeral lakes appeared, and that was a real treat for me. It has been almost 20 years since the last appearances. I will try to make time to share pics.